MERS by Maia Majumder

Important Note: 113 previously unreported cases (and 92 deaths) were announced on 3 June 2014 by KSA MOH. Unfortunately, detailed reports on these cases have not yet been released. For this reason, this visualization will not be updated until further information becomes available.

MERS is an infectious respiratory illness that finds its origins in the Middle East, where it was first documented in 2012. Given its novelty, many questions remain unanswered regarding its epidemiology and environmental determinants. There exists evidence that MERS-CoV is zoonotic; currently, experts suggest that camels and bats may serve as natural reservoirs. However, the virus can be transmitted from person-to-person and may also be airborne. Since March 20th 2014, a significant surge in cases has occurred in the Middle East. It remains unclear what factors are driving this outbreak; the situation is ongoing and developing rapidly. Case data are publicly available but incomplete and represent statistics as reported by the KSA Ministry of Health (MoH). Temporal data indicates date of onset, hospitalization, diagnosis, or public reporting. This visualization will be updated regularly to reflect new information* as it becomes available.
*All statistics are subject to change. Last Updated: 5.31.14 [2345 EST]